


The Colosseum of Idiots and Intelligence

by Bleeding_Hearts



Series: Chatfic Chaos [4]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Multi, Whooo battling bugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:08:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29300166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleeding_Hearts/pseuds/Bleeding_Hearts
Summary: Ghost, being the chaotic force they are, has organized a tournament event and invite their friends to battle it out to the end.
Relationships: Brumm/Grimm (Hollow Knight), God Tamer/Pale Lurker (Hollow Knight), Markoth/Xero (Hollow Knight), Nailsmith/Nailmaster Sheo (Hollow Knight), Quirrel/Tiso (Hollow Knight)
Series: Chatfic Chaos [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2144601
Comments: 9
Kudos: 25





	1. Battling Ghosts (Literally)

**Author's Note:**

> I needed a tournament fic for the chatfic group, so we have this! 
> 
> All fight matchups and the results of said matchups are determined with a choice picker (I am very indecisive anyways). I’m trying not to be biased.

One had to give Ghost some credit when they had told their newest idea. It had seemed fun at the time. It would be entertaining, to watch all their friends (and enemies) battle it out in a friendly competition. Ghost had received one response at the proposal. 

me: guys wanna have a tournament

theangryone: no

Oro’s reply seemed to be everyone’s answer. That was, until Ghost announced there was a prize. 

me: theres a prize lol

theangryone: i’m gonna fuck everyone up

yeeshaw: seconded, i’m in

Currently, Ghost stood in the booth high above the stadium. Lurien, Monomon, and Herrah were seated next to them, acting as the commentators for the event. Each had a list of the randomly-picked matchups. 

The Colosseum of Fools was usually bustling, and today was no different. In the Warriors’ Pit, each combatant gathered to have one final moment of relaxation. 

“I cannot wait to kick all your asses,” Tiso bragged, lounging on the bench. Hornet, who was next to him, glared as she sharpened her needle. 

“Says you,” she said with a wry smirk. 

Tiso hissed. “Hey!”

Cloth smiled at the pair from afar, turning back to observe her competition. God Tamer was talking with Pale Lurker, Grimm, and the ghostly trio of Markoth, Xero, and Revek. All of them could be trouble later on, if they managed to get past the first round. Meanwhile, competitors like Myla, Zote, and Broken seemed rather weak, with their small stature. 

Quirrel, who had opted out of competing, was handing out drinks and wishing everyone luck. Brumm was providing music throughout the event while Sly was in charge of filming the event. Sheo and Nailsmith were going to be providing bugs with armor and weapons as needed. Lemm was in the stands with the Pale King, the White Lady, and Elderbug. 

“Alright! First matchup will begin in 2 minutes!” Lurien’s voice echoed across the stadium. The competitors all perked up. 

“Good luck!” Quirrel called as they all headed to the stands. Tiso grinned as he sat down, eager to watch the first matchup. No matter who won or lost, he’d still get to see a good fight, especially when the losers battled each other. 

“The first matchup will be… Zote vs Markoth!” Herrah called. The stands exploded into cheering. Tiso could see Zote puff out his chest as he stood up. 

“Kick his ass, Markoth,” Xero whispered, pulling the moth in for a quick hug. Markoth sighed heavily as he pushed the other bug off, giving a nod in response. 

“I almost feel bad for Zote,” Cloth commented, sitting back as she spared a glance towards Myla. 

The miner nodded quickly. “Ye-yeah… I heard Markoth was a pretty strong fighter.”

“To be fair, Markoth looks like he wants to be anywhere but here,” Mato said with a small smile, watching as the two bugs walked out onto the field.

Zote withdrew a small channeled nail, pointing it at the moth. “Are you ready, cur?” he asked tauntingly. “I’m going to beat you to the ground!”

Markoth didn’t reply with words, simply holding out a hand. With a burst of golden light, his Dreamshield came to life, the flower-like shield popping out. Several golden nails manifested next to Markoth as the shield began to spin around him. His eyes gleamed. “We shall see about that.”

“An interesting first round!” Monomon said with a laugh. “Let’s get it underway! Begin!”

Immediately, loud cheering filled the air. Zote wasted no time, lunging forward. Markoth stepped to the side and grabbed one of his nails. He spun it for a moment before lunging at Zote, bringing the nail in a downward slash. Zote’s eyes widened and he parried it quickly before withdrawing his nail and dashing away to gain space. 

When Zote tried to go for another attack, he kept his nail close. At the last second, Markoth moved and the clang of nail against shield filled the air. Markoth swept his leg out, kicking Zote’s feet from beneath him. Zote looked up and yelped as he saw the golden nail looming above him. He rolled to the side and the nail embedded into the soil next to Zote’s head. 

“It looks like Markoth has the upper hand here,” Lurien commented as the two began to dance around each other. “What are your thoughts, Herrah?”

Herrah nodded to herself. “They both have their strengths and weaknesses. It’s obvious Markoth has more battle experience, but Zote’s small size makes it easier for him to dodge hits.”

“And that’s the beauty of battle!” Monomon chimed in. “If Zote can tire out Markoth before he takes enough damage, he has a solid chance of prevailing. I doubt he can take many hits from those golden blades.”

“You can do it, Markoth!” Xero cried from the stands, cheering his boyfriend on adamantly. 

“Zote, I have 200 Geo riding on you, beat him into a pulp!” Emilita screamed. She shared a glare with Xero. “Piss off, red boy. Zote has this in the bag.”

“Wanna bet?” Xero asked slyly. “200 more Geo.”

Emilita blinked. She turned back to the fight. “Zote, I now have 400 Geo on you! You better not lose!”

Zote tried his best to tune out the commentators as he swung his nail again. Markoth blocked it with his shield, then used it to push Zote away. Zote skidded back, using a hand to right himself. He barely had time to recover as Markoth charged, swinging two nails while his shield spun around him. 

Zote bobbed and weaved through the golden blades, parrying one with his own nail. His eyes narrowed as they met Markoth’s. “You will fail, cur,” Zote hisses out. 

Markoth gave a small chuckle. “The tides always change, little bug. And they will be in my favor.”

Zote hissed and hit his blade up. Markoth pulled away and jumped back to avoid the overhead arch Zote was performing. The red moth summoned about six golden blades, which all rushed Zote a moment later. Zote managed to ward off two of them before he was forced to dodge, the blades barely missing their target. 

“Another advantage in favor of Markoth is his ghostly abilities,” Lurien said from the booth. “He has no limit on the amount of nails he can use.”

“That may be the case, Lurien, but you’ve forgotten about the SOUL it requires to summon said nails,” Monomon replied with a grin. “Zote can do this all day if his opponent runs out.”

Zote grinned to himself as he heard this. He lunged again, watching a nail as it zoomed towards him. Zote positioned his blade so the golden nail acted as leverage, Zote’s feet landing on it for a moment before the small bug pushed off it. 

His moment was short-lived as a single strike from Markoth sent Zote skidding across the arena ground. The audience winced and Zote coughed as he looked around for his nail. He spotted it behind the approaching shadow that was Markoth. 

“This looks bad for Zote. Could it be the end?”

Zote’s eyes narrowed and he grinned to himself. He had something Markoth didn’t- patience and the tendency to be annoying. Zote pushed himself up and placed his hands on his hips. “Hey! Cur! I’d be ashamed if I were you!” He smirked. “You’re obviously out of touch.”

Markoth stopped his approach at that, his shield’s spinning slowing and the nails lowering. He inclined his head. “Are you seriously trying to trash talk when you’re in such a position?”

Zote snickered. “Indeed, I am, you worthless moth! Your knowledge is obviously inferior to mine, for I am the creator of Zote’s 57 Precepts! Let me tell you to them!” He cleared his throat. “Precept One: Always Win Your Battles. This one is simple enough, and it shall be shown at this precise moment!” With these words, Zote tackled Markoth to the ground. The moth wasn’t expecting it and went down easily. Zote dashed for his nail, grabbing the hilt and swinging it into the air. 

By now, Markoth had gotten up, blind rage in his eyes. Several golden nails manifested and flew towards Zote. Zote dodged all of them and lunged towards the moth. He kicked hid leg out, sweeping Markoth’s feet from under him, and pointed his nail at the moth’s head before he could rise. 

“And that seems like a win! Zote moved onto the next round!” Herrah’s annoucement sent the crowd into cheers. 

“HA!” Emilita laughed, turning towards Xero. “Pay up, fucker!”

Xero sighed as he pulled out his pouch of Geo to pay. Oro was gawking as Zote and Markoth shook hands, a friendly gesture of condolence between the two. Sheo was cheering, proud of his adoptive son. 

“What the fuck? He won?” Tiso asked aloud, absolutely shocked. “How?!”

“For once… we can ask the same question,” Hornet muttered, looking down at her needle. 

Ghost clapped as they nodded to the Dreamers next to them. They signaled for the next match. 

“Alright! Next up, it’s a match between two very skilled fighters!” Monomon’s chipper tone rang out across the arena. “On the right side, we have a gal who isn’t scared to bash her enemies! With her mighty club and mighty skill, it’s Cloth!”

Cloth perked up as she heard her name being called. She smiled as she stood, placing her hands on her hips as she waited to hear her opponent.

“And on the opposing side, we have someone from beyond the grave! Don’t call him a traitor, don’t call him a fool, call him Xero!” 

Cloth looked over as she heard the name. Xero turned his head to lock gazes with her and both gave a nod. The two exited the stands, entering the area where Sheo and his husband awaited with weapons and armor. 

“Good luck out there, both of you!” Sheo smiled at the two. “Need anything?”

Cloth pulled out her club. “I’m all set, thank you.” She didn’t wait around for Xero, figuring it would be best to give the other warrior some privacy in case he needed to have any reforging done. 

Moments later, the two emerged on the battlefield. Cloth squinted at the bright lights and loud cheering. She absorbed the scenery around her, spinning for a moment, before her eyes focused on the red ghost before her. 

“I wish you luck, Xero,” Cloth called from across the battlefield. “Let’s make this a fun fight!”

Xero chuckled at that. He unsheathed two glowing blue nails. They seemed to sparkle and two more suddenly appeared next to Xero’s curved helmet. “Indeed, good luck to you as well. This shall be quite the show!” His shredded cloak billowed and Cloth got into a battle stance. 

“Begin!”

Cloth was the first to make a move, sprinting towards Xero with her club raised. She swung it down and Xero nimbly dodged to the side, seeming to flicker in and out of existence (which wasn’t an oddity, considering he was a ghost). Cloth noticed the crimson sheen of his armor and spun around, bringing her club with her. Xero wasn’t able to avoid it and was hit, skidding across the floor. He rose with a laugh. 

“It seems both sides are evenly matched this time,” Lurien said, observing the fight. “Herrah, why don’t you give us a summary of strengths and weaknesses?”

Herrah leaned forward to the mic. “Well, as you said, Watcher, both sides are evenly matched in terms of combat ability. Cloth certainly has the better weapon. A couple good hits from that thing and anyone will fall. Swinging it around must’ve made her stronger too, so if she can pin Xero, she has a very good chance. However, doing such a thing will be tough. Xero is agile and quick on his feet, as well as being a ghost.” Herrah smiled widely. “And while we did ban complete abuse of these powers, Xero seems to know the lines and how far he can step without crossing it, phasing in and out to avoid hits. Combine that with his four nails, equally as fast and sharp? Both competitors are in for quite the battle. And we’re in for quite the show!”

Down on the field, Cloth was listening. She observed Xero, watching the way the warrior moved. He had a consistent dodging pattern, favoring right over left and down over up. She didn’t miss his quick trick of phasing to dodge, nor did she miss the couple seconds where the ghost was vulnerable, his eyes on her weapon as opposed to her. 

Meanwhile, Xero was deep in thought. He knew he could only take so many hits from that club. More than three and he was in deep shit. Cloth had seemed to catch onto his little test when he had phased through the dodge. Xero’s eyes gleamed beneath his helmet and he readied his four nails. He had other tricks up his sleeve. 

Cloth took the battle stance as a cue and charged again, her club dragging behind her. She swung it on the ground, attempting to sweep Xero’s feet from under him. Xero jumped over it and Cloth grinned, knowing he wouldn’t be fast enough to dodge the second sweep when he landed. To her surprise, however, Xero’s feet never hit the ground as he hovered in place, his cloak billowing. Xero wasted no time, sending his nails towards Cloth. As she dodged, he landed back on the ground, taking one nail and rushing at Cloth. 

Cloth saw him coming and ducked to avoid the strike. She kicked out at Xero, managing to catch his midsection. Xero was sent stumbling and Cloth took the chance, grabbing her club and using the end to push Xero to the ground. 

“This might be one of Xero’s major downfalls if she manages to pin him!” Monomon yelled. 

“Not going to happen,” Xero hissed. He watched the club come down and raised his blades at the last second, the four nails parrying against the club. 

From the workshop, Sheo gasped as he watched Cloth and Xero face off. He was worried for his son, sure, but he had no doubt in Xero’s knowledge. If risking a hit was what he thought was best, Sheo wouldn’t oppose it. 

Cloth’s eyes gleamed as she pushed against Xero’s blades. “How long will you last?” she asked. Xero was pinned between the rough floor and her club. He was faster, she was stronger. He was smarter, she was wiser. Their flaws balanced out their strengths. 

“It’s not going to end here,” Xero replied with amusement in his eyes and voice despite the situation. He winked at Cloth and his form seemed to fade, growing translucent. Cloth gasped and attempted to push down on the blades more. If she could prevent Xero from phasing away…

She didn’t get to finish her train of thought. The obstacle keeping her club from meeting the ground disappeared and Cloth stumbled forwards. She got up quickly, looking around. 

“And in the blink of an eye, Xero has disappeared! He can’t stay hidden for too long, but that was the perfect moment to use his strengths to his advantage!”

Xero reappeared before Cloth, giving a snicker. “You can’t pin a ghost, Cloth,” he said in a teasing tone, waving a finger. 

Cloth huffed playfully. “Well, I can beat one!” 

The two sides rushed at each other again. Xero took two nails in hand and adopted an overhead style, using one nail to block while the other slashed. Cloth ducked and tried to hit aside a nail with her club.

Before she could try a new strategy, Xero’s foot came flying out and he kicked her legs out from under her. Cloth was expecting to see a blue nail fly at her face. Instead, two came down and embedded themselves into the dirt on each side of her head. Knowing what was coming next, Cloth kicked Xero’s leg, meant to disturb his balance. It worked and the nail came down short of Cloth’s head. 

“Ooh! Both sides are playing mean!” Herrah leaned forward with interest. 

“You can beat him, Cloth!” Tiso cheered. “Don’t let his ghostly tricks get to you!”

“Show her what we can do, Xero! Make us proud!” God Tamer yelled. She shared a glare with Tiso and both proceeded to yell louder to spite the other. 

Meanwhile, the Pale King sat back in his chair. “This is the first time an event has interested me,” he commented. 

Next to him, Lemm snickered. “I can agree. These first two fights are certainly entertaining. I wouldn’t have expected Zote to emerge victorious.”

The Pale King nodded, wings twitching. “This battle is soon to reach its peak. When that happens, well,” he closed his eyes, “the avalanche begins.”

Back on the battlefield, Xero was on the offensive, using the overhead style again. Cloth was prepared for it this time and swung her club. The nails were knocked out of Xero’s hands and his white eyes widened as the club hit him. The force of the hit sent him flying into a wall where he fell to the floor. A collective gasp swept through the stands. 

Xero barely had any time to regain his composure. His eyes widened as he saw the club and his hand reacted in instinct as he pushed against the club. Cloth’s eyes narrowed and she pushed down harder, knowing she could easily overpower Xero. 

Xero tried not to panic as the club slowly inched closer to his face. He couldn’t take a direct hit and Cloth was preventing him from phasing away from the hit, keeping a sturdy foot on his cloak. She’d know when he would begin to vanish and stop it. The club came closer and Xero closed his eyes, struggling to push back against the heavy weapon. 

In the midst of her focus to keep Xero pinned, Cloth had forgotten about the ghost’s nails. The four glowing blades sprung to life and homed in on Cloth. Cloth yelped as they sliced at her form and she raised her club above her head. Xero took his chance, phasing out of existence seconds before the club came down. However, as he reappeared, Cloth spun, knowing where he was. The club’s edge hit Xero’s back and sent him into another wall. 

The audience fell silent. Xero remained unmoving on the ground. Cloth panted but smiled, knowing this battle was won. The announcement from Lurien confirmed it a moment later. Cloth set her club down and made her way to her fallen opponent. 

Markoth had beaten her to the other, helping the dizzy bug up with his arms wrapped around him. Xero took off his helmet and met Cloth’s gaze. “That was extremely fun,” he commented, sounding tired but exhilerated. “Let’s spar again sometime.”

Cloth smiled. “It would be my pleasure. I wish you luck in the next battle you have the honor of fighting.”

The words made Xero shoot a small glance towards Markoth. Right, the losers were to spar as well. He didn’t like that idea. There was a chance he would have to face off against the moth.

Markoth seemed to read his mind and gave Xero a small peck on the side of his face. “Don’t worry, Xero. There’s a good chance it won’t happen.” He began to lead his boyfriend off the battlefield, Cloth trailing behind them. 

Up in the booth, Lurien turned to Monomon and Herrah. “Such exhilarating battles! Let’s hope these next two are just as good! First up, we’ll have Oro vs Emilita, followed by Tiso vs God Tamer!”

The four bugs mentioned looked up, then locked gazes. They shared a nod and a promise. 

They wouldn’t lose.


	2. One Hell of a Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiso dukes it out against God Tamer, and Grimm puts on a show with Revek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TFW mock trial debate last 2 hours longer than it should’ve smh
> 
> Anyways, I’m trying to update all four (atm) of my works at a consistent rate, but that’s not working so far. I might try to finish this before refocusing on my other works.

Oro barged into the arena, his large nail slung over his shoulder. Across from him, Emilita hummed to herself, swaying side to side idly. 

“Are you ready to fucking die?!” Oro roared across the field, hoisting his nail off his shoulder. The blade dropped to the ground, creating a little puff of dust as it hit the dirt. 

Emilita huffed as she shakily raised the thin nail she had chosen from Sheo’s selection. It was obvious she didn’t know how to use it. She gave a single nod, the weapon held in her trembling hands. 

Ghost tapped Lurien, who had zoned out. They narrowed their eyes and grabbed the microphone before pulling out an airhorn and blasting it into the mic. Lurien shot up with a yell, grabbing the mic. “Be-Begin!”

Oro wasted no time making the first move, using his signature Dash Slash to cross the distance between him and Emilita in no time. Emilita yelped as she was forced to dodge, getting up in a hurry to dust her fancy clothes off. 

“Careful with that stupid thing!” she snapped at Oro as the nailmaster pulled his weapon back to him. 

Oro laughed with a mean glare. “Aw, did the dust ruin your fancy dress?” he asked in a mocking tone. “Oh, no! I might shed a tear!”

In the stands, Grimm shook his head, not even paying attention. “Such a short show has no need to be observed,” he commented, pulling out a newspaper from his cloak and opening it. 

Myla looked over at the troupemaster. “He-hey, do-don’t s-say that…! She- she might win!”

Tiso let out a raucous laugh at that, one that was shared amongst almost all the other competitors, the only silent ones being Mato and Broken. 

“She’ll have a chance when hell freezes over,” God Tamer said with a laugh. 

“Indeed. That girl has one skill, and it’s being able to recite the extensive dictionary of insults to call others,” Revek agreed, observing the “fight.” Oro had begun the chase Emilita, screaming all the while. 

Emilita looked over at the stands. She flipped all of them off. “Hey, fuck you!” she called, giving Revek and God Tamer glares. “Especially you two!”

“Don’t get distracted, idiot!” Tiso called, somewhat helpfully, and laughed. Emilita turned to see Oro looming above her, a maniacal gleam in his eye

“...Shit.”

-

“Well, that fight was over pretty quickly! Oro moves on!” Herrah snickered as she called the fight. Monomon had to unplug her mic and was in the process of losing it, as was Lurien. Ghost was banging the table. “An-anyways…! Next up, we have Tiso vs God Tamer! Take the field!”

Tiso was excited as he stepped onto the familiar field. He had been here before, before these bugs, standing on these exact sands. He was used to the loud cheering and bright lights. He smirked to himself and spun his shield idly, waiting for God Tamer. 

When the other bug appeared, she wasn’t alone, riding on the back of her usual beast. She lifted her visor and goave Tiso a small wink. 

“Hey! Not fair, it’s two against one!” Tiso cried up at the booth, fearing for the fight. 

“Who’s the Champion here, bucko? Me! My arena, my rules!” God Tamer yelled. She patted her beast. “We’re gonna kick your ass!”

Tiso’s eyes narrowed as he readied his shield, touching the small but sharp blades on the edge. As soon as the announcement for the fight to commence rang out, God Tamer charged forward with her beast with a yell, raising her lance. As Tiso avoided the beast, God Tamer hopped off, swinging her lance down. Tiso blocked the hit with her shield and kicked at God Tamer. She hopped back, grinning as her beast landed behind her. 

The beast curled up into a tight ball, rolling at Tiso again. The ant dodged and ran at God Tamer, sweeping his arm out in an attempt to hit her with his shield. God Tamer blocked with her lance, then pulled it back and went for a low strike. Tiso jumped over the blade and heard the sound of God Tamer’s beast above him. He moved back and the beast landed where he once stood. 

God Tamer hopped back onto her beast and the creature charged. Tiso yelped as he scrambled to run away. God Tamer cackled as she gave chase, her lance raised and ready to strike. As the pair got close to him, Tiso turned and used his shield to block the lance. He quickly slashed at God Tamer’s beast with the sharp edges of his shield and the creature cried out in pain. 

“How dare you?!” God Tamer screeched, outraged by the thought of her beast being hurt. She hopped off as the beast charged again, rolling past Tiso as he barely dove out of the way. Seconds later, God Tamer’s lance came down and barely nicked the side of Tiso’s face. Tiso’s eyes were wide as God Tamer pulled it out, seeing red and in blind rage. 

Tiso rolled to the side and kicked God Tamer’s legs out from under her. As she went down, he scrambled to her feet and dodged the beast. He should really focus on the creature- he could take God Tamer on her own, but when she had help, he was screwed.

Tiso slashed at the creature as it tried to get in close. Another cry of pain emerged from the thing and God Tamer let out a shriek, running towards Tiso with her lance poised to strike. Tiso’s eyes widened as he blocked the hit, but his success didn’t last for long as God Tamer forced him to the ground, putting all of her weight onto her weapon. 

Tiso noticed the beast preparing the charge again and got an idea. He smirked to himself and waited for the beast to curl up. Once it did, Tiso laughed, something that caught God Tamer off guard. His laughter continued until the beast was almost upon him. He quickly stopped fighting against God Tamer and the other fighter fell forward as Tiso dodged the beast. 

“Update on strengths and weaknesses, Monomon?”

“Well, the two seem evenly matched in terms of combat ability. Despite his idiocy, Tiso can actually fight, and, well, God Tamer’s not the Champion for nothing. I thought this would be a certain win for God Tamer once her beast came out, but Tiso seems to be managing his own, and perhaps even winning. God Tamer’s weakness is her rage and Tiso’s, well, I think we know.” 

Tiso rolled his eyes at that. He noticed the way God Tamer seemed to be tiring out. Her movement wasn’t as agile as it was before and her swings weren’t as well timed. As God Tamer and her beast charged again, Tiso used this to his advantage, easily dodging the duo. As God Tamer swung her lance down, Tiso caught it with the edge of his shield. He jerked the shield back and the lance was sent flying, leaving God Tamer almost defenseless. 

A roar from the creature reminded Tiso he had another opponent to deal with yet. The beast charged and Tiso made a dash for God Tamer’s dropped lance. He grabbed the lithe weapon and swung it as the beast charged. The creature howled in pain before collapsing. 

“And in a surprising turn of events, Tiso wins this battle!”

Hornet was dumbstruck at those words. Oro gaped in awe and/or horror. Grimm made a small humming noise. “Interesting.”

Tiso puffed out his chest as he exited the battlefield. The cheering dulled down to a quiet thrum as he went to Nailsmith’s workshop, unclipping his shield. “Just a quick polish, if you will.”

As Nailsmith went to work on the shield, Tiso observed the Warriors’ Pit. Zote had fallen asleep and was on the ground by the bench. Markoth and Xero were quietly talking to each other near Zote. Tiso sat down on the bench with a sigh. 

The cheers suddenly increased in volume and Tiso made a soft humming noise to himself. They must’ve announced the next two competitors, meaning they should be down here soon for weapons. The telltale bell of a complete reforge rang through the pit. Tiso stood to collect his shield, thanking Nailsmith as he grabbed the disc. 

“Tiso! You did so well!” Sheo smiled as he looked over from his current painting. 

Tiso couldn’t help but smirk. “Thanks, dad.” He looked over to Zote, then Xero. Two of them had gotten through and Xero wasn’t finished yet. Sheo got the pleasure of watching his sons battle, something they rarely did.

A sudden chill next to him got Tiso’s attention. He looked over and blinked at the ghostly form of Revek. The ghost was silent as he pulled out his long and jagged nail. “Just a quick sharpen, if you will.”

Tiso shuddered to himself, wondering who Revek would be battling. It was sure to be interesting, unless it was someone like Myla, which would most likely be an easy win. The ant took his shield and went to the stands once more, sitting near Quirrel, who was taking a break from his continuous cheering. 

“Who’s battling next?” Tiso asked, trying to seem bored. 

Quirrel smiled at Tiso. “Oh, you’re back! Great job on your win!” He turned back to the field. “Grimm’s going to be going up against Revek.” 

Tiso nodded at the information. “This’ll be a show,” he muttered. 

On the other side of the arena, Brumm watched anxiously. He had gotten a little distracted by the more intense fights, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to focus during this one. Brumm set his accordion down, seating himself on a bleacher to watch his Master fight. It could be an easy win, but Brumm wasn’t too sure how good Revek was at combat. He briefly remembered the ghost doing extremely well in dodgeball, being second-to-last to get out on his team, so maybe this would be a good fight. 

As soon as Grimm walked out, he grinned at the crowd, waving a few times. He was used to everything the arena had- bright lights, cheers, peering eyes, and, of course, a lust for a good show. The troupemaster watched his opponent as the ghost teleported onto the field, grinning. He liked when his opponents could match his skills, and this one certainly could, judging by the teleportation and the nail. 

“Greeting, friend!” Grimm called. “The crowd wants a show! Shall we give them one?”

Revek silently nodded, drawing his nail. Grimm bowed, a gesture of respect, and was delighted to see Revek copy the motion. This fight would truly be a show.

“Whenever you’re ready, boys!” Herrah called down. She leaned back in the booth, turning off her microphone. “Can’t wait to see this.”

Grimm nodded at his opponent, then opened his cloak, an arm extended towards Revek. Three fiery bat-like projectiles flew out. As Revek dodged the attack, Grimm teleported away with a puff of red smoke. He reappeared closer to his enemy and prepared his first melee attack, his arm and cloak sharpening. Grimm charged and grinned as Revek parried, the ghost teleporting away as soon as the parry had finished. Grimm, too, teleported momentarily, though he reappeared close by. 

Revek flickered into vision, his nail behind him in a prepared slash. Grimm watched as the ghost put on a burst of speed, closing the distance between him and the troupemaster in seconds. Grimm twirled to the side, feeling the blade rush by him. Grimm opened his cloak again and sent out the fire bats as Revek recovered from the slim recoil, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Grimm. He could use that.

“This fight will be interesting. Both sides are almost completely equal.” Monomon’s commentary rang through the arena. “They’re both very fast and their attacks, while not relying on speed, benefit from it.”

“I agree, Monomon.” Herrah smirked as she spoke. “Now, I haven’t seen either of these two in combat often, but I can see one weakness on both sides. And I’m sure the competitors have as well.”

“What?” Myla asked, watching the two bugs spin around each other, trading attacks. “What is it?”

Mato smiled down at the miner. “Well, they both rely on their speed to dodge attacks. But that’s their shared weakness.”

“Grimm can’t move when he’s firing off those red bats, nor when his cloak is stuck in the ground,” Hornet added, watching as said cloak turned into pillars of spikes. “But notice the few seconds after Revek attacks. He has to deal with the slight recoil of the speed he must use to execute said attack. Grimm can use that.”

“They’re respectful when they’re battling,” Galien commented, folding his claws. “They trade blows and ignore openings other fighters would take.”

Grimm smiled at the additional commentary. He parried another attack from Revek. He noticed the recoil and went for the surprise attack, jabbing his sharpened cloak at Revek. The ghost noticed and twisted himself in mid-air, bringing his nail up to block the hit. Grimm pulled back suddenly and Revek was sent to the ground. 

The black spiked pillars announced their arrival and Revek barely had time to dodge one, lifting himself back into the air. He noticed Grimm extending his arm in the midst of the black and was ready for the fire bats when the pillars retreated. Grimm was ready when his attack had ended, parrying Revek’s nail. As the ghost teleported off, Grimm stuck his cloak back into the ground. 

The pillars shot up, and as Grimm predicted, he saw Revek’s form flicker into view, one of the spikes retreating from where it had punctured the ghost. Grimm smiled as he prepared an uppercut, dashing across the field and closing the distance quickly. Revek noticed the troupemaster in time and was able to successfully block. He teleported away quickly, reappearing behind Grimm and slashing at the troupemaster again. 

Grimm hissed softly at the pain that shot through his body but recovered quickly. He teleported away in a puff of smoke, reappearing above the arena. His cloak swelled and turned spiky as balls of hellfire began to shoot out. Revek was forced to reappear and weave through the fireballs. As he was preoccupied, Grimm ended his attack, teleporting below the ghost and slashing at him with another uppercut, his leap ended in a teleport and four bursts of flame. 

“I don’t know who will win this one,” Lurien commented, amused. “What do you think, Monomon?”

The scientist laughed a little. “Well, there’s many factors to consider. I won’t list them all, but I know that the jagged nail of Revek’s isn’t something that will hit lightly. Grimm can’t take too many hits from that thing. Revek has and can take multiple hits from his opponent, but as we saw earlier, the recoil and charge time for one attack can change a lot.”

Grimm reappeared on the ground, grinning at his ghostly opponent. “My, you can certainly keep in time and match the rhythm!” He clapped, a genuine gesture. “You have my applause. This dance is one of the most interesting to date!”

A ghost of a smile flickered in Revek’s eyes. He bowed his head, a slow nod, in response. Grimm knew the guardian wasn’t much of a talker and he could respect that. Revek wanted this performance to end. Grimm wanted it to last a lifetime. 

“Our dance must come to an end, I suppose.” Revek spoke slowly and in a monotone voice. “All dances have their life, and when it ends, their deaths are remembered in the audience’s memories.”

Grimm gasped, half-faux and for show. He bowed, fire pulsing around his form. “I’m pleased you seem to get it.” He spread out his cloak, the fire glowing in a pillar. “It’s time for the grand finale!”

Grimm lunged with his sharpened cloak, a trail of fire behind him as he jabbed his spear-like arm at Revek, who nimbly dodged it. Grimm ended his lunge early, entering the uppercut without much warning. He smiled as Revek floated back, silent. He knew he had gotten a hit in. 

Revek was on him as soon as he reappeared. Grimm made an attempt to dodge but the attack hit anyways and sent a new wave of pain through the troupemaster. Grimm clutched his arm and hissed, realizing he had forgotten one thing about Revek. The attack took time to charge, yes, but the ghost tracked his target’s movements during that time. 

“He was hiding that detail from me,” Grimm hissed to himself as he realized. “He was testing to see if I remembered…! Once he figured out I didn’t, he knew he could use that to his advantage!”

“And it was such a foolproof plan,” Revek commented, floating nearby, having heard Grimm’s words. 

Despite the pain, the troupemaster smiled. “Clever, I must admit,” he said, his tone even. “It’s a shame I figured it out at the conclusion.”

Revek inclined his head. “A shame? No… I’d call it the perfect twist.” He slightly nodded at the audience, who was cheering loudly. “They seemed to enjoy the performance, but we cannot keep them here forever.”

He charged up another attack, a new gleam in his eyes. Grimm got ready, knowing what was coming. When Revek attacked, Grimm dodged quickly. However, he was not expecting the ghost to stop himself, turn, and slash again. The blow caught Grimm by surprise, forcing him to his knees. 

He glanced at Revek, slightly satisfied at the red flames that licked at the ghost’s cloak. In some way, it made his opponent look more intimidating. “Well fought, my friend.”

Revek nodded slowly. He turned away, ignoring the flames. “The show is over. The actors must part ways for the time being. Wave one last time as the curtain falls.”

The ghost teleported off even before Herrah announced him the winner. Grimm stood up and bowed to the audience, his cloak billowing as he walked off the battlefield. 

-

“Holy shit,” Tiso said, gawking at the two before him. 

Grimm looked over, the handshake between him and Revek coming to an end. “What?”

Tiso’s eyes were wide. “That was fucking awesome!”

Grimm couldn’t help but smirk. “I’m glad you enjoyed the show.” He turned to Revek. “Be careful if you end up fighting this one.” He nodded at Tiso. 

“Hey!”

Revek softly chuckled. “It’ll be something when it happens.” He sheathed his nail, looking down at Tiso. “Whoever your opponent may be, I wish you luck. It’d be something to battle you.”

Tiso watched as the ghost floated away to converse with Xero and Markoth. He adjusted his hood and sighed, leaning on the wall. “Showoff,” he muttered. 

Grimm snickered. “I really, really hope you have the chance to fight that guy. Who knows, maybe it’ll be the final battle?”

Tiso smirked. “Something tells me he knows we’ll fight. He did say “when” instead of “if”.” 

Grimm slightly punched the ant’s arm. “You’re too confident, you know that?”

“Confidence is key, man.”

The troupemaster nodded as he watched the others in the Warriors’ Pit. “The losers are due to duel soon,” he commented. “Some of them are interesting. God Tamer, Markoth, Xero… it’d be a treat to duel them in battle.”

Tiso laughed. “Yeah. I mean, I knew Oro would win, but Zote?” He snickered. “I’d love to knock that fool a few pegs down.”

“Well, don’t forget, there are three more fights.” Xero and the other two ghosts joined the conversation. “Myla’s going against Galien, Broken’s gotta deal with Mato, and Hornet has the joy of battling Pale Lurker.”

“Quite the reward, isn’t it,” Markoth muttered, eliciting a snicker from Xero. 

“The girl has a few screws loose,” Revek said, “but she was the former champion of this place, if my memory serves me well. She must have some skill.”

Tiso rolled his eyes with a scoff. “Oh please. I doubt that girl can even swing a nail.”

“Can you?” Grimm asked in a teasing tone. Tiso grew red, something that caused Grimm and the ghosts to laugh. 

“Sh-shut up!”

-

Lurien looked at Ghost. “Is your bet final?”

Ghost nodded, locking in their bet of Tiso winning this whole thing. Lurien hummed. “I see. Well, I’m sticking with my guess of Cloth. She seems formidable.”

Herrah chuckled. “I’m still rooting for my daughter.”

“Of course you are,” Monomon snarked. “I’m gonna root for Revek. May not know him, but he helped me with a few… things.”

“You mean he supplied you with tons of explosives?”

Monomon grinned. “Damn right.”

“I’ll kill him,” Herrah muttered.

Ghost shook their head, motioning for Lurien to announce the next matchups.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Place your bets? Lmao

**Author's Note:**

> Small fun fact: Xero was using the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu technique, which is a technique samurai would use that consists of blocking with one blade and attacking with the other. I love the idea of Xero having some semblance to samurai.


End file.
